Artists and artisans moved in and set up boutiques and galleries to show their wares.
Now, most villages have a thriving commercial life catering to tourists, retirees, and part-time residents.
Many villages still have buckled medieval walls and their crooked, cobbled streets are pleasant to stroll.
There are more than 120 perched villages scattered over the territory of Cote d’Azur.
They each have a singular charm to be discovered in their little streets or in the craftsmen’s workshops.
Peillon
Peillon is a very picturesque, perched fortified village 20 km north of Nice.
Most of the current buildings date from the 19th Century, but a few date from the 17th Century.
There are not souvenir shops or other tourist-oriented facilities.
The only amenities are one restaurant inside the town and two more in the auberges just outside the town.
Eze
The village of Eze is located between Nice and Monaco, at an altitude of 427m.
The ancient Phoenicians who once occupied this spot, dedicated a temple to her.
Sainte-Agnes village has narrow stone-paved streets and many arched passages.
Many of the village houses are from 15th to 18th century.
The village is named for the three towers (tours) that punctuate the maze of little stone streets.
Sources:French Riviera Traveller/www.gites-de-france-paca.com/Beyond the French Riviera
